Health is looming as a battleground ahead of the Federal election.
Camera IconHealth is looming as a battleground ahead of the Federal election. Credit: Supplied/Getty Images/iStockphoto

TAB sale to fund new women’s hospital

Jessica WarrinerWestern Suburbs Weekly

THE majority of the upcoming TAB sale is set to go towards developing the new women’s hospital at the Nedlands QEII site.

It was revealed 65 per cent of the sale would go to the hospital at Thursday’s state budget announcement, along with an existing $3.3m allocated towards planning King Edward Memorial Hospital’s replacement.

Mr McGowan said the government had “wanted to make it clear there was a benefit” to the TAB sale.

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Meanwhile, a record $942.1m is set to be delivered to mental health, alcohol and other drug services — including $8.1m to go into suicide prevention programs and $3m of additional funding will go towards planning to decommission the ageing Graylands Hospital.

A $42.5m package is being provided to tackle ongoing issues with meth, including $4.8m for a 10-bed crisis Centre in Midland and $300,000 to expand the Hepatitis WA nurse-led program which supports GPs to provide brief interventions to meth users.

Health Minister Roger Cook said the expanded services would provide additional help for those needing treatment and support.

“We are working hard to address the significant pressures on mental health services in WA,” he said.

$3.6m is going towards establishing Recovery Colleges, designed to support people in self-directed recovery from mental health and alcohol-related issues, and $22.4m is being invested to establish community mental health step up/step down services.

Palliative care services across the state will receive a $41m boost for extra support and enhanced community-based care.

The budget also includes $161m to redevelop Joondalup Health Campus, $22.7m to refurbish the 24-bed intensive care unit at Royal Perth Hospital, $15.6m for a 20 bed, secure mental health unit at Fremantle Hospital and $7.3m for upgrades to Bentley Hospital.

Research will also see a funding boost, with $52m allocated over a three year period to the Future Health Research and Innovation Fund.